ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review

Our Verdict

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QC provides QHD resolution, vibrant colors and a tasteful curve — if your desk is large plenty.

For

Beautiful screen
Vibrant colors
Loftier frame rate
Gentle curve

Confronting

Takes upwardly a lot of space
Expensive

Tom's Guide Verdict

The ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC provides QHD resolution, vibrant colors and a tasteful bend — if your desk is large enough.

Pros

+
Beautiful screen
+
Vibrant colors
+
High frame charge per unit
+
Gentle bend

Cons

-
Takes upwards a lot of space
-
Expensive

ViewSonic Elite XG270QC: Specs

Dimensions: 24.2 10 22.5 10 10.iv inches
Screen Size: 27 inches
Resolution: 2560 x 1440
Refresh Charge per unit: 165 Hz
Inputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-A, 3.5 mm audio

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QC is an unusual gaming monitor in that information technology's admirably straightforward. At that place's no gimmicks here.. Its curved quad Hard disk drive screen displays vibrant colors and sharp graphics. Its fast refresh speed lets you have advantage of games with high frame rates. And its affluence of carte du jour options are both useful and intuitive.

All of these features command a high toll of $600, but based on my testing the premium is worth it. In fact, the XG270QC is one of the best gaming monitors (and best monitors in general) around. If y'all're in the market for a high-end screen that does exactly what it says information technology will, read on for our total ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review.

ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review: Price and availability

The ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC costs $600. At the time of writing, it's available from both Amazon and Newegg.

ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review: Blueprint

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QC is not shy nearly taking up desk space. At 24.2 x 22.5 x 10.four inches, it's not terribly broad, just information technology is extremely deep. While you can move the screen upwards and down a few inches, it will e'er sit down rather high. The bottom line is that unless you have a desk that goes extremely far back, the XG270QC is going to be right in your face, and the meridian of the screen is going to exist just outside of your line of sight.

It's an inconvenient design, but never veers into outright "obnoxious" territory, because information technology does at least await pretty refined. The 1500R curved screen has a gentle enough arc to feel immersive without getting overwhelming, and the three-pronged metal stand up is both sturdy and stylish.

However, yous tin move the screen up and down only about six inches and you tin't rotate it at all. Information technology doesn't bend very far forward, either, so hooking up inputs is a nightmare.

With a DisplayPort, two HDMI ports, a USB-B port, three USB-A ports and a 3.5 mm audio jack, yous should try to become every relevant device hooked up in i go. In one case this monitor is set up, yous're not going to desire to move it.

ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC review: Display

As its name suggests, the ViewSonic Elite XG270QC features a curved 27-inch screen. The resolution maxes out at 1440p, which is good for gaming, but perhaps not as forward-looking as it could be. (Quad Hard disk drive displays go you lot better frame rates, of course, but everything from games to streaming media seems optimized for 4K lately, and that trend is likely to go along.)

From a hardware perspective, the XG270QC'due south screen has a lot going for it. It reaches an average brightness of 524 nits, which blows past the competition: even the impressive MSI Optix MAG272C maxed out around 224 nits. But at full brightness, the XG270QC hurt my eyes besides much to stare at it directly; even at 50%, it still fills a night room with a luminous glow.

In terms of color vibrancy and accuracy, the XG270QC can display 139% of the sRGB spectrum with a Delta-E of 0.3. (For the latter test, closer to naught is ameliorate, so this is very skillful.) Compare and dissimilarity the MAG272C, which reaches 134% of the sRGB spectrum with a Delta-Due east accuracy of 0.2. The two screens are similar overall, only the XG270QC's incredible brightness gives it an edge.

ViewSonic Elite XG270QC review: Gaming operation

I tested the ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC with a multifariousness of games, and was pleased with both its solid performance and helpful presets. In Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition, I employed the MOBA setting (information technology's not a MOBA, but RTS is close plenty) to burnish the colors and sharpen the contrast a fiddling. My colorful early modern soldiers marched through enemy towns and fired off musket volleys at a satisfying 100+ frames per 2d.

I had similarly skilful experiences with the fast and colorful FPS setting for Doom Eternal, the muted and downward-to-world Realistic setting for Shadow of the Tomb Raider and fifty-fifty merely the everyday Standard setting for Last Fantasy Fourteen. While not all presets are created equal (Battle Royale is a picayune indistinct; Vibrant is mode as well blue), it's at least a good place to start for gamers who don't feel like programming their own custom settings - although you can do that, too, if you want.

Beyond that, the 165 Hz screen came in handy when I ran some less demanding games, although I institute it tough to get beyond 100 frames per second at high settings on my aging gaming PC. Users with more mod rigs should have no problem getting 150 fps frame rates, especially since the display maxes out at 1440p.

ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC review: Interface

Like most gaming monitors, the ViewSonic Elite XG270QC doesn't have a spectacular interface. But unlike most gaming monitors, the XG270QC'south isn't especially frustrating, either. You lot navigate menus with a central control nub just under the center of the screen, which is infinitely easier than trying to remember the placement of four or five different buttons. From there, you lot can choose amid presets, display options, input select, volume and general settings.

The XG270QC generally doesn't put as well many barriers between you and where you desire to go. Selecting a preset is equally easy as clicking on it. In the display menu, yous can change color and contrast options, too every bit limit refresh rates, activate a blueish low-cal filter, toggle HDR and so forth. This is also where you activate AMD's FreeSync, which I wasn't able to exam due to my Nvidia GPU. (It'due south a potential benefit for AMD fans, but the monitor still worked fine with Nvidia gear.)

My just complaint is that when using the presets, many options are inaccessible, from colour temperature to "view modes" for more than specific applications (word processors, movies, etc.). It feels like at that place should be some sort of middle ground between "the presets handle everything" and "the user handles everything," only the system isn't besides onerous to acquire, if you lot have some time with information technology.

ViewSonic Aristocracy XG270QC review: Verdict

The ViewSonic Elite XG270QC has a lot of benefits, relatively few drawbacks and admittedly no surprises. It'due south a premium gaming monitor that does precisely what information technology promises.

Every bit we haven't reviewed another curved quad HD monitor recently, it'due south tough to say exactly what might make a worthwhile alternative, although the Razer Raptor 27 is similar, and within $100 of the XG270QC'due south price. Overall, the Elite XG270QC is an splendid gaming monitor for those with deep pockets — and deep desks.

Marshall Honorof is a senior editor for Tom's Guide, overseeing the site's coverage of gaming hardware and software. He comes from a scientific discipline writing background, having studied paleomammalogy, biological anthropology, and the history of science and technology. After hours, you can detect him practicing taekwondo or doing deep dives on classic sci-fi.